2 syllables: gui, dance. Stress on gui.
GEYE-duhns
/ˈɡaɪdəns/
guidance is pronounced GEYE-duhns (/ˈɡaɪdəns/). It has two syllables (gui-dance), with the stress on "gui". Guidance refers to the act or process of guiding, directing, or advising someone toward a desired outcome. It often implies informed support, mentorship, or supervision that helps another person make decisions, solve problems, or navigate a situation. The term encompasses advice, direction, and strategic help provided in a supportive, sometimes formal, capacity.
Guidance refers to the act or process of guiding, directing, or advising someone toward a desired outcome. It often implies informed support, mentorship, or supervision that helps another person make decisions, solve problems, or navigate a situation. The term encompasses advice, direction, and strategic help provided in a supportive, sometimes formal, capacity.
- Common Mistake 1: Underestimating the first syllable stress. You may say /ɡɪ.dəns/ with a lax /ɪ/, making it sound like 'gih-dence.' Correction: open to /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/ with a clear /aɪ/ diphthong, feel your jaw drop slightly for the /aɪ/ and keep /d/ crisp. - Common Mistake 2: Softening the final consonant. Some say /ˈɡaɪ.dən/ or /ˈɡaɪ.dents/. Correction: hold the /n/ or /s/ final as appropriate, ensure the /ns/ or /n(d)s/ cluster is audible. - Common Mistake 3: Quick, clipped second syllable. Correction: give /dəns/ a brief, even beat; avoid turning it into /dənz/ or /duns/. Use a full /ə/ before /n/ and finish with a crisp /s/.
"The teacher offered gentle guidance to help students choose their projects."
"Parents provide guidance while letting teenagers make their own choices."
"Therapists give guidance on coping strategies without prescribing outright."
Pronounce as /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: GAI-dance. The first vowel is a long I sound, as in 'eye,' followed by a soft 'd' and a schwa-nish 'an(d)s' ending. Think of it as two syllables with a light, unstressed final '-ance' sound; the 'e' is not pronounced as a separate vowel. IPA for US: /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/, UK: /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/, AU: /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/.
People often say /ˈɡɪ.dəns/ (short i) instead of /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/, or they drop the middle syllable entirely. Another error is turning the first syllable into a pure /ɡɪ/ rather than the /aɪ/ diphthong, and mispronouncing the final /d/ or linking to the final /s/. To fix: open with /ɡaɪ/ as in 'eye,' keep the /d/ firm but light, and end with a clear /z/ or /s/ depending on the following sound. Pronounce it steadily with two clear beats: GAI-dən(s).
In US, UK, and AU accents, the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/. The main variation is in the rhoticity and vowel quality: US may have a slightly more pronounced 'r-like' onset through closer vowel transitions, but 'guidance' is non-rhotic in GA accents, often sounding like /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/ with a softer -er color. UK and AU maintain a similar rhythm, with the /ɡaɪ/ diphthong preserved; Australian English can be a bit more centralized on the final /ə/ than UK. Overall differences are subtle, and the two-syllable rhythm remains consistent across accents.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable rhythm with a stressed first syllable and a fast, unstressed second syllable, which can reduce the realization of /ə/ to a near-schwa. The /ɡ/ start is straightforward, but the /aɪ/ digraph requires a precise glide from /æ/ to /i/ within a tight vowel space, followed by a brief /dəns/ cluster where the /d/ can be rushed and the /ən/ can sound like /ən/ or /n/. Emphasize two clear segments: /ˈɡaɪ/ and /dəns/.
Does 'guidance' ever get pronounced with a silent 'e' or stress shift? No and no. The word never has a silent 'e' in English pronunciation of this form, and the stress remains on the first syllable /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/. Some learners may briefly de-stress the second syllable in rapid speech, but careful articulation keeps /dəns/ audible. Keeping steady tempo helps you avoid 'gaɪ-dins' or 'ɡaɪ-dənz' mispronunciations.
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US: rhoticity is typical with clear /ɪ/ and /ə/ vowels. UK: slight non-rhoticity; final /s/ might be slightly longer, subtle /ɜː/ color avoided. AU: more centralized /ə/; lightly rolled or flapped /d/ may occur in connected speech. IPA references: US /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/, UK /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/, AU /ˈɡaɪ.dəns/. Focus on diphthong /aɪ/ and schwa /ə/; keep final /ns/ crisp. Accent tips: exaggerate the /aɪ/ initially, then relax jaw for /ə/; keep the final consonant audible, especially before a vowel.
Guidance derives from the noun guide, with the suffix -ance forming an abstract noun indicating a state or quality. The root word guide comes from Old French guier, later evolving into the English word guide, which originally referenced leading or showing the way. The sense of offering instruction or advice developed as social structures—schools, mentors, and leaders—gradually formalized the role of someone who provides direction. Early uses in Middle English framed guidance as instruction in how to conduct oneself or proceed in a task. Over centuries, the nuance broadened to include both practical directions (navigation, problem-solving) and advisory support (counsel, mentorship). The modern sense converges these threads: it is the act or service of helping another person reach a goal by offering informed suggestions, strategies, and counsel. First known uses appear in legal and educational contexts, where rulers or tutors supplied guidance to subordinates or pupils on operational or ethical matters, evolving into the everyday sense of one-on-one or organizational support that is still central to the word today.
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Words that rhyme with "guidance"
-te) sounds
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